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Show The Beaux Stratagem. 5 a good Bowler; but he makes a handfome Figure^ and rides in his Coach, that he formerly ufed to ride behind. Aim. But did you obferve poor Jack Generous in the Park laft W e e k ? Arch. Yes, with his Autumnal Perriwig, fhading his melancholy Face, his Coat older than any ihing but its Fafhion, with one Hand idle in h s Pocket, and with the other picking his ufelefsTeeth; and tho' the Mall was crowded with Company, yet was poor Jack as fingle and folitary as a Lion in a Defart. Aim. And as much avoided, for no Crime upon Earth but the want of Money. Arch. And that's enough ; M e n muft not be poor ; Idle-mefs is the Root of all Evil; the World's wide enough, let 'em buftle: Fortune has taken the W e a k under her Protection, but M e n of Senfe are left to their Induftry. Aim. Upon which Topick we proceed, and, I think, luckily hitherto: Wou'd not any M a n fwear now, that I a m a M a n of Quality, and you m y Servant, when if our intrin-fick Value were known Arch. Come, come, w e are the M e n of intrinfick Value, who can ftrike our Fortunes out of our felves, whofe Worth is independent of Accidents in Life, or Revolutions in Government; we have Heads to get Money, and Hearts to fpend it. Aim. As to our Hearts, I grant ye, they are as willing Tits as any within twenty Degrees; but I can have no great opinion of our Heads from the Service they have done us hitherto, unlefs it be that they have brought us from London hither to Litchfield, made me a Lord, and you m y Servant. Arch. That's more than you cou'd expect already. But what Money have we left ? Aim. But T w o hundred Pound. Arch. And our Horfes, Cloaths, Rings, &c. why, we have very good Fortunes now for moderate People; and let me tell you, that this T w o hundred Pound, with the Experience that w e are now Matters of, is a better Eftate than the Ten we have fpent. Our Friends indeed began to fufpect, that our Pockets were low; but we came off with 1 flying Colours, fhew'd no figns of W a n t either in Word or Deed. Aim. Ay, and our going to Bmffels was a good pretence enough for our fudden difappearing; and, I warrant you, our Friends imagine, that we are gone a Volunteering. F f 2 Ank |